Delhi's dense fog: DGCA issues notice to Air India, SpiceJet over untrained pilots

Severe fog disrupting travel in Delhi and across North India has prompted the DGCA to issue a show cause notice to Air India and SpiceJet. The notice cites the airlines' failure to roster CAT III compliant pilots, leading to flight diversions during periods of low visibility in Delhi.

As per TOI report, this notice demands a response within 14 days, prompted by 58 previous flight diversions caused by captains lacking training for such conditions. DGCA's investigation, utilizing airline and ATC data, prompted this action, aiming to prevent similar disruptions in the future.

According to the further report, the notice specifically addresses the rostering of non CAT III compliant pilots by the two airlines. During December 24-28, Delhi Airport witnessed 58 diversions, primarily due to captains lacking proficiency in operating during low visibility.

DGCA's verification process, utilizing airline and ATC information, led to the issuance of notices to Air India and SpiceJet.

This move by the regulator is timely, coinciding with the recurrence of low visibility and dense fog in north India. It aims to prevent a repetition of the December incident, urging airlines to ensure CAT III compliant pilots during low visibility hours to mitigate flight disruptions.

What is CAT III in aviation?

CAT III in aviation refers to a type of instrument landing system (ILS) approach that allows for landing in very low visibility conditions, such as fog, rain, or snow.